Pseudogenes have been defined as nonfunctional genomic sequences that are originally derived from paralogous functional genes. Although the biological importance of pseudogenes is not clear, pseudogenes have been widely used as evolution fossils. During the evolution to higher primates, a functional MYLK (myosin light chain kinase) gene was partially duplicated, making a pseudo-MYLK (MYLKP) gene in humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. MLCK (myosin light chain kinase protein) is of critical importance in regulating cytoskeletal dynamics that are necessary for cell division and metastasis by increasing myosin-actin cross-bridges
A functional gene encoding MLCK, namely MYLK, is located on chromosome 3q21, spanning over 270 kb and containing at least 34 exons that encode 3 proteins: non-muscle MLCK (nmMLCK, 220 kDa), smooth muscle MLCK (smMLCK, 130 kDa) and Telokin (20 kDa). The nmMLCK is translated from exon 1 to exon 34 while the smMLCK is translated from exon 18 to exon 34. A number of isoforms resulting from different splicing patterns are also known. A pseudo-MYLK gene, in contrast, is located on chromosome 3p12, and contains only 5 exons which correspond to exons 13-17 of the functional gene. See Brand-Arpon et al., “A genomic region encompassing a cluster of olfactory receptor genes ad a myosin light chain kinase (MYLK) gene is duplicated on human chromosome regions 3q13-q21 and 3p13” Genomics 56, 98-110, 1998.
There is a continuing need in the art to identify techniques which can detect cancer early in the general population and agents which can effectively inhibit the growth or stimulate the death of cancer cells.